Hi all, I'm installing a disk brake conversion kit I got from the T-bird Ranch on my '64. I have found that I am unable to get the spindle nut on far enough to allow for installation of the cotter pin. My solution is to leave off the washer. I just want to be sure this is common and that there is not another issue I am not seeing that is causing the problem. The spacers went on fine and there is no gap between the spacer and the spindle.

Jeff

I would not omit the washer. Check to see if the bearing races are fully seated in the hub. Call the vendor at the very least. Good luck.

Thanks for the response.

I checked the disk I hadn't put on yet and it looked like the races were seated all the way. There's no gap behind them. I decided to try the other side dry and got the same result. You simply can't put the cotter pin through with the washer in place.

I'm also stumped how the brake hose can be routed where it doesn't interfere with the stops on the lower control arm.

Jeff

Jeff,

I rrealize that this is an old post, but have you contacted John at the Thunderbird Ranch? I know he's busy clearing out his yard, but give him a call.

I've sent a couple of emails yesterday and today and am waiting for a message back. I did hear from him last Friday when I found that my 15" wheels will not fit thses disks. In the mean time I was really hoping to find someone who had done this to a '64 to see if the issues I'm having are typical and what their work around was or if I'm just lucky

Why is he clearing out his yard?

Jeff

I had the same problem. After proper tightening of the nut,I marked where the cotter pin hole was on the nut, removed the nut, and cut 2 notches in the nut(similar to a castle nut).
For brake hoses I used a braided hose from Speedway Motors that is 16 in. long which seemed to clear the bump stops. The hose recomended by the brake kit was a lot shorter and ran right over the bumpstop and seemed too short when the wheels were turned all the way side to side.
I've got aftermarket wheels so I can't help you there.
Good luck!

Well, at least it's not just my car. I've decided to take a much more difficult route.....which is my way. Besides, it concerns me to have the outer bearing not sitting totally on the step of the spindle. I'm most likely just being uptight I'm going to remove the spacers and have 3/32" machined off the spindle side of the spacer and have them re-chamfered. If at that point there is a bit of a clearance issue, which should be tiny, I'll grind the nut ever so slightly.

As far as the hoses go, I realized that if you lift the spindle with a floor jack the hose clears the steering bump and it's never likely that you'll have the suspension totally decompressed while driving. The hoses do pull a bit at the end of the steering travel but that's mostly on that foam protective wrapper around the hose. I'm gonna keep a close eye on them though.

I'm just waiting on the wheels until I get the disks finalized and can take some measurements with me to the junk yard.....really hoping it cools down a bit here before I do that.

It's ironic, I got these from John because I figured that if I got them from someone with a lot of Tbird experience it would be a sure thing that they would fit. Now I have a kit that doesn't fit sold to me by someone who hasn't responded to my emails in over a week. Meanwhile, I have a 5000 lbs. paperweight sitting in my garage

Jeff

Final update on this problem.

I took the spacers to a machine shop and they took 3/32" off the spacer for $30. Now the cotter pin fits through the hole. It's a cheap and easy fix if you don't count how difficult it is to get the spacers off once you put them on. You'll need a bearing separator, a large 2 jaw puller and a torch.....propane won't work.

For any reading this considering getting this kit, be warned that not only will the stock 14" rims not fit but your stock 15" rims for '64 won't fit either. There is plenty of room for the brake itself to fit but the center hole in the wheel is too small. It needs to have a 2 3/4" diameter center hole to fit. I ended up getting a set of later model Ford rims from a junk yard for $15 to solve the problem.

I'm pretty sure that if I knew then what I know now I would have gotten a conversion kit from somewhere else. My emails I sent a couple weeks ago asking for help with the problem still go unanswered. I can only assume that he's aware of the problem and simply doesn't care which shows a huge lack of any kind of integrity. This from a man who makes it clear on his website that he's a religous man blah blah blah. While he may be a church goer, I don't think he's getting much out of the experience.

Jeff

Pretty sure you have the same kit as I do-mine came from Backwoods Classics and the kit John sells looks the same. I contacted the person I got mine through and also had no results. I imagine John forwards the bs that the person he buys them from tells him. John is a good guy and I don't think he'd intentionally do it to a guy. After tearing mine back apart to check a few things, I'd say to check the id of your outer bearing-the suggested Granada bearing is too large for my 63,not to mention the bearing riding on the threaded portion of the spindle,even with the 3/32 off the spacer.(you're right,those spacers are a pain to get off!!)
As of a week ago my fancy disc brake changeover kit is residing in the dumpster.

Dumpster huh, that's depressing.....and expensive!! I never did check the ID of the outer bearing. They felt pretty good when on the spindle. I figured that the stock drum bearing was riding on the spindle in the same place as the Granada bearing if the cotter pin, nut and washer were able to be installed correctly which the machining of the spacer allowed. It sure made me wonder why the stock drum bearing didn't set further on the spindle though.

As for John, I didn't even get the BS....I just got dead air I would think that a stand up guy wouldn't continue to sell this kit unless it actually fit. I can't imagine I'm the first to report a problem.

Jeff

Final, final update....

I got a reply back from John on 9/2 regarding my email I sent on 8/7 concerning the problem of not being able to install the cotter pin using his disk brake conversion. His solution was to grind the nut enough to allow the cotter pin to be installed. That's grinding off over 3/32" to make it fit which also causes the outer bearing to ride that much further out on the spindle than it should. I think having the spacer machined is a better solution. Unfortunately, you really can't be sure how much to grind until you install everything and then it's a BEAR to remove the spacer. In my case, 3/32" was the magic number. At that, the grease seal still rides on the spacer. You need to be careful not to take off so much that it rides on the seam between the spacer and the spindle.

The brakes are finally done and my paper weight is mobile again. I am very impressed with the braking. All stops are dead straight and very smooth. That's a great improvement over the drums which always pulled. I do have a bit of a spongy pedal but that may be due to using Dot 5 brake fluid or I may need to bleed them again. It might have sucked some air into the lines as I did experience a small leak while I was bleeding them. I also used a dual diaphram booster which seems to feel a bit different. When I press the brakes the pedal goes down so far and its then its feel seems to change a bit while the pedal travels the rest of the way. Still, I'm happy I did the conversion even with all of the troubles I had.

Next it's on to replacing all of the front end bushings, coil springs and having the rear leafs re-arched. The fun never ends!!!

Jeff